Dispensing device



June 13, 1944. P. HUTCHINSON DISPENSING DEVICE- Filed Dec. 23, 1940 I N VEN TOR. I AUL' I Hu 'rc H/NSON Patented June 13, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF] CE DISPENSING DEVICE Paul Hutchinson, St. Louis, Mo.

Application December 23, 1940, Serial No. 371,226

6 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing devices, and in particular relates to devices for dispensing match-books or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved article dispensing device which is of simple, compact construction, and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for dispensing articles such as matchbooks, which because of the irregular shape thereof are not readily adaptable to be vertically stacked, or otherwise arranged in a straight series, for feeding the match-books to a dispensing opening in the device.

These and other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawing.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan 'view of a match-book dispensing device embodying the invention, the match-book receptacle or casing being shown with the lid or cover thereof removed.

Figure 2 is a cross-section taken substantially on line 22 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l designates a container or casing of metal, plastic, or like material, formed with a base or bottom portion ll and'an up-turned annular edge wall l2. A suitable removable lid I3 is provided for closing the top of the'container. The inside diameter of wall 12 preferably is such, in proportion to the size and the longitudinal cross-sectional taper of the usual match-books, that a plurality of match-books M may be packed within the container in radially extending relation, with the large ends engaging the wall l2 for maintaining and guiding the match-books in an arcuate series. A plurality of annular ribs H H on the upper face of the base ll facilitate sliding movement of the match-books around the container, by reducing frictional resistance.

A rectangular orifice l4, may be provided in the wall l2, the orifice being defined by outturned flanged portions I5 in the wall, and preferably being just large enough to permit free passage of a single match-book therethrough. Closely adjacent the orifice I4 may be a fixed, radially extending abutment plate [6 against which the leading match-book of the arcuate series is yieldingly urged to be in cooperating relation with orifice M. For yieldingly and progressively feeding the match-books toward abutment with fixed plate It, a shaft or post I! fixedly mounted on a circular raised portion H in the center of base H, may have rotatably mounted thereon a sleeve [8 which carries a radially outwardly extending arm or plate I9, for engagement with the trailing match-book of the arcuate series of match-books, the arm I9 being yieldingly urged in counter-clockwise direction toward abutment plate Iii by means of a flat coil-spring I8 connected at its inner end to the rotatable sleeve l8 and at its other end to the fixed abutment plate It. The yielding pressure of arm l9 progressively urges the match-books toward the abutment plate It as successive match-books are withdrawn through dispensing orifice M, as will be described,

For projecting the match-books M through dispensing orifice [4 there may be pivotally mounted, at 20 on abutment plate It, a bell-crank lever 2| having a downwardly extending arm 2W engageable with the inner edge of a match-book abutting said plate, and a'radially inwardly extending arm 21 for engaging the underside of a button 23 vertically slidable on the upper end of shaft ll, said button projecting through an opening [3 in lid l2. A suitable collar may be loosely received on shaft l'i between button 23 and sleeve [8, for limiting downward movement of the button 23, and thereby limiting the outward movement of the bell-crank 2|. A suitable spring 22, may .connect between bell-crank 2| and the fixed abutment plate l6 for maintaining the arm 2 l normally out of engagement with the matchbooks. The arrangement is such that button 23 is yieldingly depressible to urge arm 2| downwardly, and thereby swing the bell-crank 2| outwardly to engage arm Zi with a match-book and project a portion thereof through the dispensing opening It. A flange Iii is provided at the top of abutment plate It for guiding the match-books past the top edge of the dispensing opening.

In the use of the device it is only necessary to depress the button 23 yieldingly to urge the bellcrank 2i outwardly to project a match-book abutting the plate It through opening l4, and thereby to permit said projecting match-book to be readily removed from the container. In thus removing a match-book from the container, the arm I9 is actuated by coil-spring iii to urge the arcuate series of match-books in counter-clockwise direction (Figure 1) to abut another matchbook with abutment plate It. Upon releasing the button 23 the spring 22 swings lever 2| on pivot 20, thereby to return button 23 to its normal inoperative position, as shown in full lines in Figure 2. The device may be readily replenished by removing the lid [3 and holding back the arm l9 against the action of spring [8 to permit insertion of match-books as desired.

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An article dispensing device of the class described, comprising an open-topped container having an annular adge wall, a lid for closing said open top, and having a central opening therein, said container being adapted to receive therein a, series of articles to be guided in an arcuate path around said edge wall, an article dispensing opening in-said edge wall, an abutment in said casing in association with said dispensing opening, an arm pivoted at the center of said container, yieldable means for swinging said arm to urge said series of articles along said arcuate path toward said abutment, an element yieldingly shiftable to urge an article abutting said abutment to project the article through said dispensing opening, and means adapted to project through said opening in said lid and depressible at will yieldingly to shift said shiftable element.

2. An article dispensing device comprising a casing for receiving a horizontally disposed series of articles, said casing having a vertical wall having av dispensing opening therein, a relatively fixed vertical abutment in aid casing positioned so that an article against the abutment will be aligned with said dispensing opening, yieldable means for urging said series of articles horizontally toward said abutment to position the articles in succession against said abutment, a spring pressed element shiftably mounted on said casing to be shifted outwardly yieldingly for urging an article against said abutment horizontally through said dispensing opening, and depressible means operable at will to shift said spring pressed element outwardly.

3. An article dispensing device comprising a casing for receiving a horizontally disposed series of articles, said casing having a dispensing opening therein, a relatively fixed abutment mounted in said casing adjacent said dispensing opening whereby an article against said abutment will be aligned with the dispensingopening, means for urging said series of articles toward said abutment, a spring pressed arm 'pivotally mounted adjacent said abutment and adapted to be swung toward the dispensing Opening yieldingly to engage an article against the abutment, and thereby to project the article through said dispensing opening, and depressible means operable at will to swing said pivoted arm toward said dispensing opening.

4. An article dispensing device comprising a casing having an outer wall for guiding a series of articles along an arcuate path, said wall having a dispensing opening therein, a relatively fixed abutment in said casing positioned so that an article against the abutment will be aligned with said dispensing opening, yieldable means for urging the articles along said arcuate path to position them in succession against said abutment, an element shiftably mounted on said casing to be shifted outwardly yieldingly for urging an article against said abutment horizontally through the dispensing opening, and means exteriorly of the casing operable at'will to shift said shiftable element.

5. An article dispensing device comprising a casing having a bottom and an outer annular vertical wall for guiding a series of articles received in the casing horizontally along an arcuate path, said vertical wall having an article dispensing opening therein, an abutment in said casing so associated with said dispensing opening that an article against said abutment will be aligned with said opening, an arm pivoted centrally of said casing and having its free end in the path of said series of articles, yieldable means for swinging said arm on its pivot to urge said series of articles along said arcuate path toward said abutment, an element shiftably mounted in said casing to be shifted outwardly yieldingly for urging an article which is against said abutment horizontally through said dispensing opening, and yieldingly depressible means operable at will to shift said shiftable element.

6. A device for dispensing match books of the usual type which are tapered in longitudinal cross-section, comprising a receptacle having an annular edge wall, the inside diameter of said wall being such in proportion to the size and taper of the match books that a plurality thereof may be disposed in an arcuate series along said wall with the match books tapering substantially radially inwardly of the wall, said wall having a vertical dispensing opening therein through which a match book may pass, an abutment in said casing adjacent said dispensing opening whereby a match book against the abutment will be aligned with said opening, a post mounted in said receptacle centrally thereof, an arm rotatingly mounted on said post, spring means for swinging said arm on said post to urge said series of match books toward said abutment, an element shiftably mounted in said receptacle adjacent said abutment so as to be shiftable into engagement with a match book against the abutment to project the match book outwardly through said dispensing opening, spring means normally urging said shiftable element out of engagement with the match book, and means for moving said shiftable element into engagement with the match books against the action of said last named spring means.

PAUL HUTCHINSON. 

